Spain has one of the best and most dental care systems in Europe. Nevertheless, dental care in Spain is not fully covered by the public health system in the country.
Fortunately, residents in Spain and even foreigners can still enjoy dental care by hiring a dental insurance in Spain, with lower cost and attended by professionals that work in the private sector. In this article, we will explore the details of dental insurance in Spain, and see how it works in the country.
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Private Dental Insurance Coverage
Although it is a matter of sheer necessity, dental treatment and dental visits are in many cases excluded from basic health insurance. And Social Security, for example, will cover you for major operations and interventions, but not such necessary issues as check-ups, cleanings or orthodontics (for more information you can consult the Social Security oral health programme on the Ministry of Health website). Therefore, a private dental insurance in Spain can not only help you cover these expenses, but also give you access to a network of first-rate professionals.
What does a complete dental insurance need to have?
Of course the first thing you need to have is adequate protection for each person or family group, this is important as we do not all have the same demands and needs.
From the above will depend on the type of policy we contract and the amount of coverage we want to add knowing that the higher the level of coverage higher costs.
The most common treatments or services included in dental insurance are the following:
- Dental prevention, through which we seek to prevent problems by checking and cleaning the mouth. Although there are various proposals, the most common are annual check-ups and cleanings which, in the case of children, include annual fluoridation. Fissure sealing is also generally included.
- Conservative dentistry, since basic dental insurance generally includes at least one annual impasse or access to this type of service at a reduced cost.
- Surgical dentistry including extractions (also of wisdom teeth). This guarantee includes the necessary elements for the extractions such as previous tests, anaesthesia or stitch removal.
- Diagnostic tests such as X-rays or assessment consultations are also included in the basic dental insurance.
- Dentures are not generally covered by the basic insurance, but they are covered in the intermediate and always in the most complete insurance.
- Generally, in the basic dental insurance, what we are offered is access to prostheses at a significant discount from the market price.
- In the same way as with prostheses, aesthetic treatments such as whitening can be done at a lower price than the usual cost.
- The orthodoxies are usually contemplated from the bonuses for high discounts when they must be used. They are also usually accompanied by some treatment costs such as previous studies, revisions and replacement of devices, although this depends on the limits set in the policy.
Finding a Dentist in Spain
Finding a dentist in Spain is actually quite simple, thanks to the general registration database the country has for this kind of medical specialists.
The registered specialists in this council must meet with different requirements to be included, in terms of technical and knowledge expertise, skills and level on hygiene in the facilities where patients are treated. And of course, the main requisite is having a degree in odontology given by a recognized university in Spain.
To find a dentist in the main cities of Spain, such as Barcelona, Madrid, Valencia and many others, people can consult the phone book or via online by searching on Google the keyword “Dentist in (your city)”. There are plenty of practitioners in Spain that speak English.
If you have a dental insurance, your insurer should provide you with a list of dentists and specialists that can assist you.
Dental Insurance for Expats
Is dental care necessary in Spain?
If you have a perfect mouth you may not think you need dental insurance but who has a perfect mouth? Dental insurance is usually priced low. However, the cost of not having dental insurance can skyrocket.
What is the best dental insurance in Spain?
There are many aspects to be assessed in order to answer this question. A distinction must be made between the most basic policies – which only include extractions, cures, x-rays and a dental cleaning – and those which give access to a multitude of treatments at no additional cost. Likewise, the most basic dental insurance policies do not provide you with much more extensive care than that offered by the Public Health Service, but the great advantage is that you will not have to go through a waiting list.
However, the fact that one dental policy has more coverage than another is not the only thing that makes it better. The guarantees matter, but so do the conditions under which they are provided, such as offering a broad medical directory, own clinics throughout the country or the extensive network of subsidised clinics. In any case, the best option is to compare several insurances in order to choose the one that best suits what you really need.
Is dental care free in Spain?
Going to the dentist in Spain is not free, with the exception of children under 15 and emergency treatment for adults. If you need routine treatment for your teeth you will have to pay for dental treatment. Alternatively, you can take out private dental health insurance.